FRISCO - How do you know that summer is officially here? Simply turn on the TV.
NBA is over. NHL is over. MLB is, well, MLB, playing one of 162 games. The NFL is in that frustrating calm-before-the-storm period after minicamps and before training camps. The Dallas Cowboys don't report to Oxnard for another four - long - weeks.
On ESPN Monday night? A rerun of the Chicago Bulls "Last Dance" docuseries that debuted during COVID in 2020. And for Tuesday's featured show: Would you believe live coverage from Tight End University?
Not that it's not a worthwhile event. TEU was founded in 2021 by NFL tight ends George Kittle, Travis Kelce and Greg Olsen. It's blossomed into a massive three-day summit that not only attracts the best tight ends in pro and college football, but also elite quarterbacks such as the Cowboys' Dak Prescott and future Hall of Famer Tom Brady to throw passes to the campers.
More than 75 players have committed to attend this year's TEU, held at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. On the list of attendees is Philadelphia Eagles' Super Bowl champion Dallas Goedert, Las Vegas Raiders' All-Pro Brock Bowers and a couple of players with ties to the Cowboys.
Starter Jake Ferguson will be on hand, hoping to take his game to the next level after last year's disappointing season that resulted in significant decreases in catches (71 to 59), yards (761 to 494) and touchdowns (5 to 0) from 2023. Also there will be second-year backup Brevyn Spann-Ford.
ESPN's one-hour coverage will be anchored by NFL Live co-hosts Laura Rutledge and Dan Orlovsky.